Trojan Boat Forum

As some of you know I'm redoing my entire boat. I thought I'd post a few of my progress pics. Nothing like putting alittle sweat equity in you Boat!!!

"No more Stringer!"
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg14 ... CT0195.jpg

"Stringer out and on deck"

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg14 ... CT0190.jpg

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg14 ... CT0187.jpg

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg14 ... CT0186.jpg

Todd,

Looks like a tremendousamount of work.

At least you're doing it in less than 95degree heat!

Do you believe that's all that is compromised?

What's your plan now?

RWS

Wow, that goes to show that there is nothing you cant do if you put your mind to it. I am not looking forward to doing mine this year, but I shall over-come. I will save rebuilding the engin to last, this is what I like to do, so if I save it till the rotten work is done, it will pull me thru. Get it,(rotten) oh magoo you done it again

RWS,
My entire escapade begain last fall when I started my 5yr insurance survey early (its due this june). The surveyer found rot in the bulkhead between the engines and aft cabin. Said the stringers were good and If I fixed the bulkhead properly She would leave it out of the survey. While I was cutting out the bulkhead I noticed the the stringer in the aft cabin was very wet. First I cut the tops off the stringer. It looked fine, just wet, but after sticking a screwdriver in it I found rot between the layers in the plywood. After cutting that stringer completly out up to the bulkhead I found the remaining stringer very wet and completly rotted out at the bottom 2 inches. The rest of the stringer was solid and there was no delam.
I'm basicly replacing the two large main stringers from stern to bow.
As my non boating friend told me I probably could have used the boat hard for ten more years with no issues. As I knew of the rot the only logical (If you can use that term in boating!) thing to do was to replace them.
Everything else appears to be fine.
Time permitting I should have the stringers complete in about a month. I need to have the bulkhead fixed before the survey is due in June. Then the real fun begins with fitting out the interior, rebuilding the engines and repainting the whole boat! It's still way cheaper than buying a new one!!
Hopefully the heat will work with me for awhile.

Thanks

Todd how common is it to have the survey done every 5 years ?
I know the insurance co. can ask for it to be done never knew anyone who had that happen ( unless getting a new policy ). Do they send their own surveyer ,do you pay for it ? or the insurance co? may I ask who insures you boat .

thank you

Paul F

Paul,
I never heard of it before until last year. My insurance agent reminded me that I would need a 5yr insurance survey this year. She made it sound like a normal thing. I still have a loan on the boat, not sure if that makes a difference.
Lucky for me if they never mentioned this survey, I'd be sitting on my boat drinking a beer this weekend instead of cutting it apart!!!
I'm curious, Has anyone else had to have there boat resurveyed???

Thanks

Sorry about that Paul, Forgot to answer all your questions.
I had to pay 500 for the survey and find my own surveyer. My insurance is through Windsor mount joy.

I did a resurvey in three parts in 2005 just prior to the refitting.

Part one with the boat out of the water, on the travel lift before yanking the 454's to confrm that she was structurally sound hull, decks, and everything else that was accessible. Just wanted to confirm her condition before proceding with the refit which was iniotiallygoing to be to 8.1 Crusaders.

Part two was done on the hard once I removed the 454's concentrating on the stringers now totally exposed in the engine room.

Part three was done 10 months later, in the water with the new engines to confirm that the installation was done correctly and to ABYC standards and that the vessel was worth the additional value I wanted to insure her for.

The completed survey was then forwarded to the insurer, Boat U.S.

More for my own peace of mind than anything, however all the documentation helps the value of the vessel to a certain extent.

RWS

RWS,
That is a heck of alot of effort for "Peace of mind"!!! Kudos for you!!! If I had to remove the engines for a survey I'd be pretty upset, But the peace of mind of knowing everything is ok is priceless!! Good work!!

Actually it really wasn't a big deal.

I needed to replace the engines and wanted to be absolutely certain that everything was sound before proceding.

We didn't want to discover hidden surprises lurking somewhere.

RWS

I'm in the same "Boat" right now! (Pun intended!)
I want to address any and all issues now and enjoy myself when she's back in the slip.

Todd, with your engines out are you planning on doing any special maintenance on them?

Things like all the hoses, fresh water, raw water, exhaust and fuel?

It would be really easy and prudent to replace both fuel pumps too. As a maintenance item they are generally overlooked until they fail. When they fail they generally give no warning.

RWS

RWS,
I replaced the manifolds risers and elbows two seasons ago. I am having some one tear my engines down then balance and bluprint them and rebuild them. I am replacing not rebuilding waterpumps heat exchangers fuel pumps etc. I'm hoping alittle extra money now will reduce my problems latter. all hoses were replaced 5 yrs ago, If any look bad or questionable I'll be putting new ones on.
Thanks for the tip on where to get the fuel pump. If I can safely use parts that don't need to be purchasesd at a marine store I'm all for it!!

Thanks,
Todd

Todd,

There is a high likelihood that you will find a Y pipe in your exhaust system that connects the left and right sides together to a common tube to exit the boat. Take a look at yours and you may find that there is a diverter made into this piece (if memory serves me I think it may be cast iron)

Take these (one on each engine) to a machine shop and have that diverter plate cut out of there. It will reduce the exhaust back pressure.

Also take a look at the height of your flame arrestors and if they are less than 1.25 or so see if you can fit a taller flame arrestor into the vertical space you have available.

These two changes will afford your 454's less restriction and better breathing.

When I did mine I saw more than a 10% increase in fuel economy and actually documented his with flowscan/GPS/digital tach-synchronizer.

RWS

Do not use automotive fuel pumps they different ! same goes for fuel lines .